Ten days after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) registered a landslide electoral victory in Kerala, the party’s high command chose V D Satheesan as the state’s new Chief Minister. The uncertainty that prevailed before the high command picked Satheesan did the party no good. The announcement was delayed because the central leadership backed All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal, who did not contest the election, while the people clearly favoured Satheesan, who led the alliance to this resounding victory.  By prioritising a coterie’s interests above the party and the people, the leadership risked serious damage, given that Kerala is one of the Congress’s few remaining pockets of influence. Left to themselves, the leaders would have decided against the overwhelming will and verdict of the people. This lack of political judgment is even more striking because Congress has lost states when it imposed chief ministers on the people or removed them from office against public opinion.

Its final decision is being hailed as a victory of consensus and the spirit of internal democracy, but the credit should go to the positions taken by the public and the allied parties, the residual good sense of some leaders, and a media consistently critical of this post-results power play. It must be said that even before the euphoria of a massive victory settles, the Congress leadership has lost some credibility.

Satheesan was the face of the party and the UDF in the elections. He is not a dynast and is the first from his family to join politics. A leader who rose from the grassroots, the first-time Chief Minister has about three decades of political experience. He is seen by a large section of the cadre as a principled leader who would not cede space to communal interests. Satheesan is also the unlikely politician with a book: a voracious reader with a range of interests. The new Chief Minister will face multiple challenges in office. Financially, Kerala has just managed to stay afloat, while resisting the Centre’s unfriendly policies. The government will need a substantial revenue thrust to implement the five guarantee schemes announced during the campaign. The Lok Bhavan can be expected to be at odds with the government on many fronts. Satheesan may also face opposition from the party’s MLAs and even ministers, given the circumstances of his appointment. The high command must ensure that he gets the full backing in what could also be a crucial term for the party’s national footprint. (Source: DH)